


You're Only as Sick as the Secrets You Keep

by adritae



Series: Irondad and Spiderson [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Canon Compliant, Don't read if you may be triggered by this, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Keep yourself safe out there, Multi, No Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, No actual scenes of it, Not anything too graphic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker gets many hugs don't worry, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Pre-Spider-Man: Far From Home (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Avengers, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Protective Michelle Jones, Protective Ned Leeds, Protective Tony Stark, Skip is only mentioned, Swearing, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2020-12-09 12:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20995061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adritae/pseuds/adritae
Summary: Peter wore more than just one mask. He had many, hiding his true self from the world and from his loved ones. He hid his feelings, hid what happened to him as a kid; he hid the betrayal of someone he thought was his best friend, and the hurt he underwent for almost a month.He thought his masks were strong. He never thought that maybe he had some people who cared enough about him to see through them, as one by one, they begin to see the secrets that have been haunting him for almost seven years.------a.k.a Peter's friends and family finding out about Skip





	1. May and Ben Parker

**Author's Note:**

> This work deals with heavy topics, such as death, sexual abuse, mental health issues, and various other things that some people may find upsetting. If you feel that anything in this story may trigger or otherwise make you uncomfortable, please feel free to leave the story and read something else. Your health is most important.
> 
> I tried to focus more on Peter and his struggles than Skip. I didn't feel like putting a lot of concentration on the perpetrator, instead focusing on the strength of the victim and the path to recovery. I am also trying very hard to be respectful of a lot of the topics in this story, as some I do not have personal experience for. If there is anything wrong in my depiction of these subjects and their repercussions, please feel free to tell me so, as I want to represent this issue in the most respectful way possible.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and please know that I am open if anyone needs someone to listen to. Take care of yourselves out there.

May Parker always wondered why her nephew, Peter, didn't cry after his parents died. Instead, he preferred to try and comfort her and her husband Ben in the best way that a seven-year-old could, by hugging them repeatedly and trying to do all of his chores extra well. It struck May as odd, but she figured it was just his way of grieving, of coping with the loss of his parents so young. It wasn't until they sat him down almost half a year after his parents died, well past the point where he should have shown some hint of sadness and regular grief, that he told them the truth.

They felt their hearts break as the young boy they both loved so much stared as his sneakers and said simply, "You knew them longer than I did. You need the comfort more than I do." He revealed that he tried to be the best he could for them, to not add on to their troubles. He let the emotions come from his aunt and uncle, keeping his own tears in until the dead of night as he cried himself to sleep. The conversation ended in a lot of tears, hugs, and promises that Peter would not hide things like this from them anymore.

Ben and May always felt like they failed Peter in those six months; They felt that they were blind to the signs that Peter was not well, that his actions were not that of grief, but of an attempt to hide grief from those who he believed had more of a right to it. It was that night, as Ben lay awake in bed, both he and his wife staring at the walls silently but their thoughts loud and remorseful, that they promised themselves to never fail Peter like this ever again.

* * *

The Parkers had been overjoyed when their nephew finally found a friend- an actual person that Peter could hang out with and play with instead of keeping his nose in a book 24/7. Sure, there was an age difference, but Ben and May both met the kid and thought he was incredibly sweet. May found herself crying tears of joy that night, thanking whatever deity that may be out there that Skip Westcott came into their lives.

Peter was never a normal nine-year-old. He would spend hours in the library while kids his age gravitated to the playground. He was incredibly reserved, and a favored victim for bullies. They understood his reservation, though. Losing his parents at such a young age hurt the youngest Parker, with wounds that healed slowly and slightly.

After they met Skip, they thought it would get better. They thought Peter would finally come out of his shell, and for a while, they were correct. Their boy started laughing more, started being more excited to go to school, after which he could go to his best friend Skip's apartment. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders. It lasted three months- three months of seeing a peek of the Peter Parker that hadn't been seen since he was six years old. Yet, the backslide came, as May and Ben had feared it would.

It started with the small things. Peter eating dinner quieter than normal, Peter declining to go the park on a beautiful Saturday, Peter taking longer showers than normal. Small things May and Ben chalked up to a naturally shy boy wanting to retract from the social world he lived in. Of course, they tried talking to him, but their nephew only insisted that he was tired. He was always tired nowadays.

Then, it escalated. Suddenly, Peter stopped going to the library altogether. He became clingy whenever they mentioned anything about them leaving for a night, crying and begging them to stay. Ben walked into his nephew's room to find him aggressively taking down his poster of Albert Einstein, insisting he just wanted to redecorate when questioned by his uncle. Peter always asked if he was going to Skip's after school, and his mood visibly dropped every time his aunt and uncle said yes.

May and Ben loved Peter to pieces, but never really wanted kids of their own. So, a lot of this was new to them. They had no idea if something was actually horribly wrong or if Peter was just being a classic kid, but they were determined to find out.

A month after the backsliding began, Peter hit the bottom of the hill.

Ben woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of screams coming from his nephew's room. With only a moment's hesitation to get his bearings, Ben ran from his room to the source. He found Peter huddled beneath the covers, his eyes screwed shut and his breaths coming at uneven and dangerous intervals.

"Please, no," he was saying, "Please stop, I don't want to." It repeated like a mantra, bringing Ben to crouch near the edge of the bed, now eye-level with the still-sleeping boy.

"Peter, wake up." He tried, but his only response came in the form of more pleas.

"Please, it hurts. It hurts and I want to go home!"

"Peter!" Ben tried, louder this time, trying to wake the boy in front of him but not his wife next door. He reached out and shook his nephew's shoulders gently.

With a start, Peter's eyes snapped open. They looked panicked, filled with tears and fear, a fear Ben had never seen before- directed at him. Before he could open his mouth, Ben saw Peter move rapidly to the corner of the bed, sitting with his knees against his chest, arms and blankets wrapped around himself protectively.

"Please don't, please…" he was whispering. Ben felt tears of his own come to his eyes.

"Buddy, it's just me, it's just your uncle Ben. You're safe here, no one is going to hurt you." He slowly put his hands up, outstretched towards Peter in a prompting way. He knew enough not to touch someone who was acting this way, rather letting them initiate any physical contact. Slowly, Peter's erratic breathing evened out, and his eyes grew less terrified and more tired.

"Uncle Ben, I'm sorry, it was just a bad dream. I'm sorry I woke you up. I'll just go back to bed," as the young boy scrambled back to lay down, blankets still tight around him, his uncle spoke up.

"Peter, you don't need to apologize for having nightmares, it isn't your fault." Peter bit his lip at that and averted his eyes from Ben. There was a pause. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Peter shook his head rapidly, still not meeting his uncle's gaze. "No, I'm fine."

Ben sighed. "Peter-" but Peter cut him off.

"I don't need to talk about it, don't worry. I'm just going to go to sleep and you can too."

As soon as he finished speaking, the youngest Parker shifted so he was turned to face away from Ben. The latter exhaled, knowing he wouldn't get anything out of the young boy. So, he turned and walked to the door. He paused. "Remember, Peter, you can talk to me about anything. I'll always be there for you." A small affirmative-sounding grunt greeted his statement, and Ben walked back to his room.

He did not go back to sleep. Instead, he went back to Peter's room every half hour, checking on the small boy. He was no longer thrashing or speaking, but his small body was tense. Ben knew that enough was enough. They were going to sit Peter down the next day, and they would find out what was wrong with their boy.

* * *

The next day, both May and Ben stayed home from work. Ben had relayed what had happened last night to his wife, and she was as determined as he was to help Peter. The boy in question went off to school, not meeting his aunt or uncles' eyes. He said a small goodbye and walked out the door. The older Parkers glanced at each other sadly.

Hours passed, feeling like days, until finally Peter walked back into the apartment. He had come straight from school. He didn't have to go to Skip's that day, as both of his guardians were at home. Peter still did not meet their eyes, instead mumbling a half-hearted greeting and trying to speed-walk to his room. The boy made it halfway before a voice stopped him.

"Peter, sweetie, can you come here? We need to talk to you." The adults could see a flash of panic cross Peter's face, and it only stilled their resolve. Peter gave a minute nod, walking into the living room to sit in the empty space on the couch next to May. Ben sat in the armchair on the other side of him, equally as solemn.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked nervously, fidgeting.

"That's what we wanted to ask you, honey. Is everything okay? Is anything bothering you?" May looked straight at her nephew, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"No, no, everything's fine. Nothing is bothering me at all." His tone was not convincing at all.

Ben leaned forwards, chin resting on his hands as he elbows rested on his knees. "Bud, you're shutting us out. I thought we talked about this two years ago, you can come to us about anything."

Peter shook his head slightly. "There is nothing to talk about, I'm fine, nothing's wrong!"

"Peter…" May started sadly. She took a deep breath. "You haven't been yourself, baby. You are pulling away from us, and we don't know why."

"I've just been tired lately, nothing bad…" Peter was cut off by Ben.

"Peter, who is hurting you?" May bit her lip, tears already starting to come to her eyes. Peter seemed to shrink in on himself. Ben kept his gaze on his nephew, his eyes pleading with the young boy to open up to them, to let them help him.

"W-What? No, no one's hurting me." Ben was not convinced.

"Last night, you were telling someone to stop," he looked into the nervous brown eyes of his nephew. "You said it hurts, it hurts. Someone is hurting you, buddy, and they will keep hurting you unless you let us help."

A tear made its way down Peter's cheek, and he wiped it away angrily. "I'm fine, I-"

"Peter please." May voice was choked at this point, her eyes practically begging at Peter. Peter looked her in the eyes, and she could see his mask start to shatter.

Another tear came down his face, and an uneven breath came and went before Peter spoke up again.

"I can't." May and Ben looked at him confused.

"You can't what, honey?" May looked at him, encouraging him to go on.

Peter sniffed, his eyes red-rimmed and puffy. "I can't tell you."

"What can't you tell us? Why can't you tell us?" Ben pressed. Peter ignored the first question.

"You'd hate me…" The voice came so quiet that May and Ben barely heard it. They felt their chests ache. Tears pricked at Ben's eyes.

"Pete, we could never hate you, ever!" He reassured strongly. Peter only shook his head.

"No, you would, trust me. He said you would-" Ben cut him off, eyebrows narrowing.

"Who is 'he'?" He asked. The brown eyes staring at him looked panicked, fear flitting across the irises.

"I-I…" He took several breaths, before looking away from them and speaking quietly.

"…Skip…" May and Ben's eyes widened. Peter's best friend, the boy who had seemed so nice and well-spoken, had hurt their boy?

"Did Skip hurt you?" Ben asked, almost fearing the answer. Not trusting himself to speak, Peter nodded.

"How…" May swallowed thickly. "How did he hurt you?"

A sob seemed to break out of Peter's chest, and he shook. "I…I couldn't stop him. He is just so much bigger than me and he showed me this game and he said it was a game, but it wasn't a game and then he was touching me and making me touch him and he kept going and it hurt, it hurt so bad and I couldn't get away,"

May and Ben looked at the now sobbing boy in horror. No… They knew someone hurt him, but this was beyond what they had ever thought of. Their boy- their precious boy- had been… assaulted… by someone he thought was his friend. And May and Ben enabled it by making him go to Skip's house. They had thought they were helping him, but they were actually just sending him straight into the clutches of a monster. Guilt and shame filled their whole body as they sat there shocked. Peter misread their silence, and shrunk in on himself even more.

"I-I'm s-sorry!" He sobbed violently, shaking uncontrollably. "I knew you would h-hate me, I w-wasn't strong enough to get away and I l-let him hurt me and I'm sorry, I'm sorry, p-please don't make me go b-back there-"

"Sweetheart," May's soft, heartbroken voice cut through his ramble. The boy looked up, chest still heaving with silent sobs. "We do not hate you. We love you so much and we are so proud of you for telling us this."

Ben joined in, his own tears streaming down his face. "You are so strong and brave, Peter. And, this is in no way your fault. Skip knew what he was doing was wrong, yet he did it anyways. None of this was your own fault. And don't worry, we will do everything in our power to make sure you never see Skip Westcott again." He voice, despite his own crying, was strong and certain. He was momentarily startled by a small body slamming into him, wrapping its arms around him and sobbing into his chest. He shushed the kid, running a hand through his hair comfortingly as May wrapped her arms around them both.

"You will be okay, buddy. You are safe. He can't hurt you anymore. You're safe." Ben exchanged gazes with his wife. They both knew that they couldn't take away what Skip did to him, but they were going to do everything they could to help Peter along the path to recovery. In this, they refused to fail Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, tell me what you think! Thank you all so much for reading!
> 
> Next up, my boy Ned Leeds!


	2. 2- Ned Leeds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you for your support! I'm not quite sure with this chapter. It was a tough one to write. But, I hope you enjoy! Please give me any constructive criticism! I appreciate all of you immensely.

There were only two things about high school Health classes that Ned Leeds actually liked- the frequency of watching movies and the projects. While other classes had essays and papers due for each unit, Health actually let the kids do creative things, and to be perfectly honest, Ned was not the biggest fan of writing. But this project, he knew it would be tough. He just didn't know at the time exactly how tough it would be.

Once a semester, the Health classes would split into pairs, and different topics centering around mental health, abuse, and other issues would be assigned to each pair. The assignment of the topics was random, and the teachers encouraged the students to talk to them if they found that their topic made them too uncomfortable. Ned should have known Peter would be the one to ignore that suggestion.

Ned had known Peter for years. Peter was his best friend, his brother in all ways but blood, and he has gone through so much in his fifteen years. Ned had gotten used to Peter's habits- his tendency to bottle up emotions and recede into himself when it became too much. But it had never been as bad as it was during this project.

Naturally, Ned and Peter paired up immediately. They sat next to each other as the teacher had the kids pick their topics out of the basket. Finally, it came to Peter and Ned. Peter looked away from the basket, grinning at Ned and reaching in. He shuffled the folded pieces of paper around with his hand before finally picking one out. The teacher moved on to MJ and Betty, who were paired up as well, and Peter unfolded the paper.

Ned could not see what the topic was, but he saw Peter's face drop as soon as he read it, his breath hitching and his teeth sinking in to his lips. He looked almost terrified. Ned's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he reached for the paper.

"Hey, what's the topic, dude?" At the sound of Ned's voice, Peter snapped out of his daze, and the Filipino boy could practically _see_ the happy-go-lucky façade slide back into place. His best friend handed the paper to him, and Ned couldn't help but notice the slight tremble to his hands. He looked at the assignment.

** _Topic: Sexual Abuse / Rape_ **

_For this project, focus on the long-term effects of sexual assault on victims. Try to touch on victim-blaming and other social aspects that you feel are important to discuss._

_Create a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation, touching on your topic and the importance of it in modern society._

_Due in four weeks. There will be class time to work on it._

Sexual assault… Ned was confused, why would Peter be scared of this topic? Just as he was about to voice his concern to Peter, the bell rang. Ned watched his best friend jump to his feet and all but sprint from the room. He stared after him in shock.

A voice spoke up behind him. "What was that about?" Ned turned to see MJ and Betty looking at him curiously, and… was that _concern_ in MJ's eyes? He just shrugged.

"I'm not sure, to be honest." Betty cocked her head to the side.

"What topic did you get? We got Child Neglect."

Ned shrugged again. "Sexual Abuse." MJ's eyes narrowed and she looked introspective, thoughtful. The three walked together out into the hallway, swept into the crowd of kids all trying to get to the buses. Ned knew it was too late to intercept Peter, as he was probably long gone. Instead he texted him.

**_To: _****_🅱️_****_eterman_**

_yo u ok man_

_u ran out p quick_

Ned hit send as he said goodbye to MJ and Betty and began to walk home.

* * *

He didn't get a response until later that night, at almost 9:00 pm.

** _To: neduardo_ **

_yea no im fine dw_

_just had to run before happy drove off w/out me_

_cuz its happened before lmao_

He locked his phone with a sigh. Peter was not the best liar, and Ned was no fool. The fear he had seen in Peter's eyes earlier that day was most certainly not fine. But Ned knew better than to push it, especially over text.

**_To: _****_🅱️_****_eterman_**

_if you say so man_

_meet me by my locker tmrw morning?_

** _To: neduardo_ **

_ ye ye_

The Filipino boy turned his phone off with a sigh, already planning what he was going to say to his best friend the next day.

* * *

At 7:15, just as the first bell rang, Ned saw Peter run through the doors to his locker. He shook his head.

"Are you ever on time?" Peter looked up, opened his mouth to argue, but shut it and looked back at his locker, flushed. Ned snickered at him.

The yells and chatter of kids as they headed to their first period class filled the hallways, but there was silence between Ned and Peter for a couple of moments. It was slightly tense, an unfamiliar feeling in their friendship. Ned bit his bottom lip before speaking.

"Hey, when do you wanna get started on that project for Health?" Ned watched his best friend closely for a reaction. It came in the form of Peter pausing, tensing for a second before resuming his look through his locker.

"I don't know, dude." Peter's voice was fairly stable, with just the slightest shake that would be unnoticeable to anyone who isn't listening for it.

"Do you want to come over my house some point this week to get started on it?"

"I don't know." Peter repeated, shutting his locker. He moved to walk past Ned, who was in a different class first period, mumbling a small "see you," but Ned lightly grabbed his arm as he tried.

The small flinch that came from the boy was more noticeable, and Ned immediately retracted his hand. "Are you okay?" he asked cautiously. Peter nodded.

"I'm fine dude I swear."

Ned didn't believe him, of course. "You just seem… off, and anxious."

"I'm just tired." Peter shrugged and moved to walk past Ned, but was again stopped, this time by the soft words of his best friend.

"Hey, you can talk to me about anything, bro. You know that, right? I'm your guy in the chair, I've got your back no matter what." Peter turned back to face Ned, and the latter was noticed the eye bags he sported. Peter sent Ned a small, half-hearted smile before walking off to his next class, leaving Ned with even more concern that he started with.

* * *

That's why Ned Leeds found himself standing in the hallway of the Parker's apartment building two days later, knocking on the door. The door opened to May Parker's face, a smile stretching across it as she saw that it was Ned.

"Ned!" she started, "Peter's at the Tower right now, hon. He won't be home for a little bit."

He sighed. "I know." May's smile was replaced by a look of worry as she noticed the boy's nervous expression. "I'm actually here to talk to you. About Peter."

May paused, before nodding and stepping aside to let Ned by.

"So, why do you want to talk about Peter?" May asked as she closed the door. Ned walked over to the couch and sat down, May following and sitting in the loveseat.

"He's been acting… odd. Odder than normal, I mean. He's more reserved than he has been in a long time. He seems unfocused, distracted, and anxious, like he feels like someone is going to jump out and attack him at any moment. But, it's only during last period." Ned explained, causing May's worried frown to deepen.

"When did this start?" she questioned.

"A couple of days ago. We got a project in Health class and ever since, he's been more withdrawn. He seems fine at first, but he seems to get nervous if I mention the project at all. We have time to work on the project last period, and he's just been mentally absent and I don't know why. I mean, I have an idea but I'm honestly hoping I'm wrong."

"What is the project about?"

Ned sighed. "Sexual abuse." With those two words, May's entire face filled to realization.

"Oh…" she said quietly. She looked conflicted, something that did not go unnoticed by Ned.

"Do- do you know why he's acting this way? I don't want to go behind his back, but I'm just worried about him and we have to get this project done," he rambled. May ran a hand across her face tiredly.

"I can't tell you."

"What do you mean? So, you know why he's been acting strange?" May nodded. "Why can't you tell me?"

May let out a long breath, "It's better if Peter tells you himself. It's… personal."

"But, how do I know he will talk to me? That he won't just shut me out?" Ned pressed. He didn't even notice the click of a door being unlocked and opened until a voice behind both of them spoke up.

"Because you deserve to know the truth." May and Ned turned to see Peter standing in the doorway, a resigned look on his face.

* * *

The two best friends sat, Peter taking the spot May had vacated, her saying that they should talk alone. There was an uncomfortable silence until Ned broke it.

"I'm sorry I went behind your back, I was just worried. You know you don't have to tell me anything if you aren't comfortable with it." Ned looked at his best friend, who leaned back into the couch and exhaled.

"No, I want to tell you." Peter said. "You've been my best friend for years, and I don't want to keep this a secret from you."

Peter still looked uncertain, and Ned noticed. "Are you sure? You really don't have to." he reassured. Peter shook his head.

"I want to, Ned. Just, promise me you won't look at me differently?" there was a vulnerability in Peter's tone, in his eyes, that Ned had rarely ever seen in him. It hurt his heart.

"I promise, dude." He looked at Peter, and felt his chest tighten. Just from what Peter was saying, his actions over the past few days, and the minimal amount of research Ned had done for their project, he had a guess as to what Peter would tell him. Peter sighed and started speaking.

Ned sat on that couch as the world seemed to slow to a stop. His best friend explained that he had been avoiding the project because he knew too much about it, because he had _been_ a victim. The more Peter talked, the more tears that he could see come to Peter's eyes, the more Ned's heart was breaking. He was right, and he _hated _it. Ned closed his eyes as Peter ended his explanation.

There was a few moments of silence, before Ned spoke. "I'm sorry, dude."

Peter only sighed. "You don't need to apologize. It happened a while ago. I thought I was over it, but I guess I'm not. I'm just sorry that I didn't tell you before."

Ned shook his head, leaning forward. "It's personal stuff, dude, you don't have to tell me things you aren't comfortable talking about." Peter sent him a watery, grateful smile, before bringing a hand up shakily to wipe stray tears away. Ned was trying his best to hide his own.

He hesitated, before speaking up again. "Hey, Peter? Do you want to change topics?" Peter looked surprised, but his expression quickly turned sad.

"It's too late, dude. I'll just have to deal with it." Ned looked at the curly-haired boy.

"Not necessarily," Peter looked up, eyes slightly confused. "I talked to Betty and MJ, asked how their project was going. They're doing Child Neglect, and they said they haven't even started. They aren't sure where to start with it. We could ask them and the teacher to switch topics. You don't have to explain why it makes you uncomfortable, I know they won't pressure you, and they would probably do this topic better than us, MJ especially."

For the first time in a few days, Peter had a hint of his old self back in his eyes, just visible through the redness. "You sure? I know you've done some research already, I don't want to make you start all over."

Ned grinned at his best friend. "For you, dude, of course. I'm your guy in the chair, remember? I've got your back and you've got mine. And, you'd better not forget it."

Peter laughed, and it was music to Ned's ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this household we love and appreciate Ned Leeds. 
> 
> I love Ned wow.
> 
> Next up is: Tony! (my other boy!)
> 
> By the way, the chapters are in chronological order, that's why I put Tony's only just appearing.


	3. Tony Stark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo I'm back! Sorry for the wait, I've been dealing with college. But, here's Tony!
> 
> I saw someone mention that Happy should have a chapter, and I can't believe I forgot about him! I will make sure he has a chapter!
> 
> Thank you all so much for your love and patience, and as always, don't read if you may find this triggering.

Practically sprinting, Peter jogged down the sidewalk to the Tower, almost bursting with enthusiasm. He reached the private entrance and stepped into the pristine elevator, listening to the familiar voice greet him.

"Hello Peter, Boss is on his way back from the airport right now. He said to meet him in the lounge before you head down to the lab." Peter always marveled at how… human F.R.I.D.A.Y sounded.

"Thanks Fri!" he chirped, a grin on his face. It had been almost two weeks since Peter had been able to go to the Tower to work in the lab with Mr. Stark. The man in question had left for a business trip to Venice and had only just gotten back, so Peter was itching to get back to working on his web-shooters.

He stepped out of the elevator into the common room of the penthouse. He put his bag down by the door and walked over to the couch, sitting down and leaning back. He remembered when he first came to the penthouse, not wanting to touch anything since it all seemed so expensive and fancy. But now, he kicked his feet up and took out his phone to scroll through Twitter until Mr. Stark got there. Not even ten minutes later, he got a message from May.

**To: Peter**

_Peter, I need you to call me as soon as you get the chance. It's important._

Tilting his head in confusion, Peter hit May's contact and the call button, putting the phone up to his ear and listening to the dial tone. Finally, on the fourth ring, May picked up.

"May, what's up?" Peter asked. May's voice came over the line, and it sounded shaky and tense.

"Peter… honey, it's Skip." Peter felt as though a rather large ice cube had dropped into his stomach.

"W-what about him?" Peter knew that Skip was on trial, but May said she wouldn't get Peter involved unless…

"Sweetheart, he's out. On parole." The world seemed to shatter beneath the teenager's feet. His phone dropped from his now limp hand and onto the floor, making a very audible thud. His other hand came up to his mouth as he felt tears prick his eyes and bile rise in his throat. He sat up quickly, too distracted by his racing heart and oncoming panic to hear May call his name from the other line.

He stood quickly and sprinted, running straight into the closest to him. As soon as his feet hit the tiles, he was leaning over the sink, everything he had eaten earlier coming up into it. Peter choked and bit back cries. He waited for everything to come up before lifting his head.

Peter was a mess. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and his skin flushed. He stared at himself, and saw bits of the boy he used to be underneath. The boy that felt as though a monster was around every corner- that phantom hands traced his skin and took something from him that he could never take back. Peter felt dirty again, a feeling he had thought he had gotten over. Tears began streaming down his face. He drew his fist back and threw it at the mirror, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

He could feel the glass bite into his hand, and the warmth of blood run down it, but he couldn't find himself to care. The teenager sobbed, breaths coming wildly and his entire body shaking. He just sat there on the floor, breaking.

* * *

Tony yawned in the backseat of the car, listening to rock music come through the speakers. He glanced as his watch, his jetlagged brain taking a minute to catch up enough to process the numbers on it. 4:36, so the kid would be at the tower by now. Perfect, Tony had some alterations he wanted to make to the kid's suit and he wanted the Spiderling there for his input.

He smiled fondly as he thought about the teen. To be honest, Tony never viewed himself as a mentor-type person, let along a paternal one. He honestly did not want to deal with kids at all. He could barely deal with other adults some times.

When he met Peter Parker, it changed all of that. At first, he recruited Peter because he needed the kid's skills to incapacitate Cap in Germany. He hadn't planned on keeping in touch with the kid much after that, but after the Homecoming fiasco, he found himself seeing the kid at least a couple of times a week.

Peter grew on him like a weed. It was almost terrifying how quickly Tony had started to care for the boy after they started working together more often. The fatherly instincts that had somehow become present in him just after meeting Peter for the first time manifested tenfold since really getting to know him. If Tony was being perfect frank with himself, he had started to view the kid as more than a protégé as of late. The paternal pride and protectiveness made him realize how much he had to actually view the kid as… a son.

Of course, he hadn't seen the kid in two weeks, and he was anxious to get back to the Tower to his lab. Tony was actually looking forward to having his ears talked off by Peter's incessant but somehow endearing chatter.

Happy pulled up in front of the Tower. Tony stepped out of the car and thanked him, receiving a small nod and a smile from his friend. The billionaire walked into the elevator and immediately felt it zoom upwards.

"Hello Boss, how was your trip?" F.R.I.D.A.Y greeted.

"It was actually quite boring, baby girl. I hardly got to see any of Italy other than the stuffy old shareholders.

A few moments passed in silence before F.R.I.D.A.Y spoke up again.

"Boss," Tony blinked. Her voice was different now, more like that of a worried mother than an artificial intelligence. "Mr. Parker's vitals are spiking rapidly. His heart rate is speeding and his breathing is bordering hyperventilation."

The man's eyes widened. "What? Can you tell what's wrong with him?" A now-familiar protectiveness gripped his chest as he waited for the response. It came a few seconds later.

"It appears he is in great emotional distress. He is currently in the restroom by the kitchen." No sooner had the doors of the elevator opened than Tony was rushing out to where his AI had told him. As he got closer, he heard heaving sobs get louder and he quickened his pace, rushing to the door of the bathroom. When he got there, he stopped suddenly in his path and gaped at the sight before him.

The kid was on his knees, surrounded by broken glass that was splattered with crimson. He was collapsed in on himself, trembling and heaving as cries tore from his body.

Tony snapped himself out of his daze and fell to his knees beside Peter.

"Pete?" he prompted, reaching out carefully. "You need to breathe, bud. You're going to make yourself sick." His fingers lightly brushed Peter's arms and sent a whole-body flinch through the boy. Tony retracted, a new wave of concern crashing through him. The kid's panic didn't slow.

"Kiddo, you gotta breathe. Breathe with me, okay?" Tony prompted, speaking softly, careful not to touch Peter. He was trying to remember what Rhodey or Pepper did for him when he had panic attacks.

"M-Mr. St'k?" The spiderling choked out, body still shaking uncontrollably. Tony scooted a little closer.

"Yeah, bud, it's me. You have to breathe with me, okay? In for five." Tony inhaled, and after a moment, Peter did too. It was shaky and interspersed with sobs, but he was breathing. "Hold for seven," They did, the sobs from the teenager getting softer. "Out for five." He breathed out and waited for the kid to do the same, repeating the steps until the kid no longer seemed like he was going to throw up at any moment.

"Kiddo, you with me?" He asked softly. Peter's eyes raised, and the billionaire felt his heart clench at the puffiness and red. Speaking of red, "We gotta get your hands patched up, you're all cut up." Peter's gaze flicked down to his hands, and he seemed surprised to see the blood, as though he had forgotten it was there. Tony tentatively reached out to help Peter up, waiting for the kid to grab onto him.

He lead the boy through the halls to the kitchen, where he sat Peter on a stool and went to grab the first aid kit from the cabinet. Tony took deep breaths, grabbing the kit and making his way back to the kid. Silently, he started to clean and bandage Peter's hands.

"So," he started awkwardly, clearing his throat, "You wanna tell me what happened, kid?"

Peter breathed shakily, but only shook his head. "I-it's nothing, Mr. Stark." Tony bit his lip, but let the silence go on. Just as he was finished wrapping Peter's hand, he spoke again.

"You know, I have PTSD," he admitted. Tony had never talked to the kid about his past trauma before. He never wanted the kid to have to deal with that heavy part of him that he already burdened Pepper and Rhodey with. But, if it would help Peter open up…

The boy looked surprised. "From when you were captured?" the billionaire nodded.

"Among other things. Afghanistan, the nuke," Tony stopped himself just before he could say "Siberia," The kid didn't need to know about that.

"Do you… Do you get panic attacks sometimes?" The spiderling bit his lip, fidgeting his now wrapped hands in his lap. Tony had taken a stool beside him.

"Yeah, like the one you just had. Sometimes memories just… come. There's nothing I can do to stop it. It's gotten better, or at least I've gotten better at dealing with it."

"What made it better?" Peter's voice was small now.

Tony smiled as he answered, "Pepper. It took me a long time to even admit I was struggling. I have a reputation to uphold, you know. Pepper saw through it, and finally got me to talk to her about it. Opening up to her, telling someone else about everything running through my head, it didn't cure me, but it did help. I wasn't alone anymore. I'm not going to push you to talk about what happened to make you panic just now, but know that I would be more than happy to help you, kiddo. You've somehow managed to soften me up, which I thought was impossible."

Peter's lips twitched, but he averted his gaze from Tony's. Tony just pulled out his phone, waiting for either Peter to talk, or to leave. Eventually, after a couple of minutes, Tony heard a soft voice.

"I was nine." the billionaire shut his phone off immediately and turned his head towards the source of the sound. Peter looked nervous, and uncertain, but he was talking. "My babysitter showed me these magazines- these… adult magazines-" Tony sucked in a breath harshly. He knew where this was going, and he did not like it one bit. "-and told me we should 'recreate' the photos. I was too young to understand, too young to fight back."

Swallowing the bile that rose to the back of his throat at the thought of what happened to the- his kid, Tony asked, "Does May know? Is it still going on?"

"May knows. I told her a couple months after it started," The billionaire closed his eyes tightly. God, the kid had been suffering for months before he told anyone. Peter continued, "He went to jail, and I never heard from him again."

"So," Tony was almost afraid to know the answer to his question, "What happened today?" He asked slowly, watching the kid to make sure he didn't panic again.

Peter's breathed hitched, and he took a moment to collected himself, but he did not descend back into a panic attack, fortunately. "He… he got out today. On parole."

Pure rage filled the billionaire's veins, and he almost audibly growled, but Peter kept talking.

"And, I g-guess I'm just scared of what he'll do. I know I'm a superhero, and I should be able to handle him, but I just can't. I don't know if I'm weak or something, but I know he's going to contact me and possibly even come after me-" His voice was getting more panicked with every sentence, so Tony cut in.

"Kiddo, it's not weak to freeze up. He hurt you, in ways that don't heal fast. You are not weak. I'll get in contact with my lawyers. We'll get a restraining order put in place. I promise Pete, he won't ever get the opportunity to hurt you again."

Before he knew it, he had an armful of teenager, squeezing him almost too tightly. He stiffened, not used to the contact, but carefully hugged back. Peter was openly crying now, and the tears soaking into his shirt brought only one thought to his head,

This bastard will have to go through me before he lays a finger on my kid.


End file.
